Techno-economic projections until 2050 for smaller heating and cooling technologies in the residential and tertiary sector in the EU

This study provides data and projections for smaller heating and cooling technologies including an outlook till 2050. It complements a similar study on large-scale heating and cooling technologies in the EU. The data sets can be downloaded at http://data.jrc.cec.eu.int/dataset/jrc-etri-techno-economics-smaller-heating-cooling-technologies-2017JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio

MCD-RoSIS - A robust procedure for variable selection

Consider the task of estimating a regression function for describing the relationship between a response and a vector of p predictors. Often only a small subset of all given candidate predictors actually effects the response, while the rest might inhibit the analysis. Procedures for variable selection aim to identify the true predictors. A method for variable selection when the dimension p of the regressor space is much larger than the sample size n is SIS — Sure Independence Screening — recently proposed by Fan and Lv (2008). The number of predictors is to be reduced to a value less than the number of observations before conducting the regression analysis. As SIS is based on nonrobust estimators, outliers in the data might lead to the elimination of true predictors. Hence, Gather and Guddat (2008) propose a robustified version of SIS called RoSIS which is based on robust estimators. Here, we give a modification of RoSIS by using the MCD estimator in the new algorithm. The new procedure MCD-RoSIS leads to better results, especially under collinearity. In a simulation study we compare the performance of SIS, RoSIS and MCD-RoSIS w.r.t. their robustness against different types of data contamination as well as different degrees of collinearity

Crystallization of the FAD-independent acetolactate synthase of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Leucine and valine are formed in a common pathway from pyruvate in which the first intermediate is 2-acetolactate. In some bacteria, this compound also has a catabolic fate as the starting point for the butanediol fermentation. The enzyme (EC 4.1.3.18) that forms 2-acetolactate is known as either acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) or acetolactate synthase (ALS), with the latter name preferred for the catabolic enzyme. A significant difference between AHAS and ALS is that the former requires FAD for catalytic activity, although the reason for this requirement is not well understood. Both enzymes require the cofactor thiamine diphosphate. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the Klebsiella pneumoniae ALS is reported. Data to 2.6 Angstrom resolution have been collected at 100 K using a rotating-anode generator and an R-AXIS IV++ detector. Crystals have unit-cell parameters a = 137.4, b = 143.9, c = 134.4 Angstrom, alpha = 90, beta = 108.4, gamma = 90degrees and belong to space group C2. Preliminary analysis indicates that there are four monomers located in each asymmetric unit

Crystallization of Arabidopsis thaliana acetohydroxyacid synthase in complex with the sulfonylurea herbicide chlorimuron ethyl

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS; EC 2.2.1.6) catalyses the formation of 2-acetolactate and 2-aceto-2-hydroxybutyrate as the first step in the biosynthesis of the branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine. The enzyme is inhibited by a wide range of substituted sulfonylureas and imidazolinones and many of these compounds are used as commercial herbicides. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the catalytic subunit of Arabidopsis thaliana AHAS in complex with the sulfonylurea herbicide chlorimuron ethyl are reported. This is the first report of the structure of any plant protein in complex with a commercial herbicide. Crystals diffract to 3.0 Angstrom resolution, have unit-cell parameters a = b = 179.92, c = 185.82 Angstrom and belong to space group P6(4)22. Preliminary analysis indicates that there is one monomer in the asymmetric unit and that these are arranged as pairs of dimers in the crystal. The dimers form a very open hexagonal lattice, with a high solvent content of 81%

State crop experiments (LSV) of grain legumes in the eastern part of Germany – Results of investigations in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia

Der Anbau von Körnerleguminosen konzentriert sich vornehmlich in den ostdeutschen Bundesländern. Die Landessortenversuche (LSV) in Ostdeutschland werden in überregionaler Zusammenarbeit für Anbaugebiete (Lössstandorte Mittel- und Ostdeutschland, Verwitterungslagen Südost, diluviale Standorte Ostdeutschland) auf Grundlage der Boden-Klimaräume Deutschlands durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse der LSV werden vor allem für die Erstellung von neutralem, regionalem Beratungswissen für die landwirtschaftliche Praxis, die Beratung politischer Entscheidungsträger und die Fortschreibung der Beschreibenden Sortenliste des Bundessortenamtes genutzt. Die Erträge der Körnerleguminosen in den LSV der Jahre 2003-2008 zeigten hohe Schwankungen zwischen den Jahren und zwischen den Orten der einzelnen Anbaugebiete sowie eine stagnierende bzw. rückläufige Ertragsentwicklung. In den Jahren 2003 und 2006 wurde der ertragslimitierende Einfluss von Hitze und Trockenheit erkennbar. Bei Ackerbohnen gelangen Verbesserungen vor allem im Bereich der Inhaltsstoffe durch die Züchtung tanninfreier Sorten. Die tanninhaltigen Sorten Fuego und Espresso erreichten höhere relative Kornerträge als die tanninfreie Sorte Tattoo. Die Unterschiede zwischen den Sorten im Rohproteingehalt waren gering. Bei Futtererbsen zeigten sich in den letzten Jahren wesentliche Züchtungsfortschritte in der Verbesserung der Standfestigkeit und Strohstabilität. Mehrjährig hohe relative Kornerträge (alle Anbaugebiete) erzielte vor allem die Sorte Rocket, zweijährig überzeugten auch die Sorten Gregor und Respect. Neben Santana und Saskia zählte Gregor zudem zu den rohproteinreicheren Sorten. Der Vorteil der Blauen Lupinen besteht vor allem in ihrem hohen Rohproteingehalt, der hohe Eiweißerträge ermöglicht. Rohproteinreichere Sorten sind insbesondere Probor und Idefix, aber auch Borlu. Die Sorte Boregine überzeugte in den Anbaugebieten mit mehrjährig überdurchschnittlichen relativen Kornerträgen. Als kritisch muss bei Körnerleguminosen die geringere Anzahl der zugelassenen Sorten (besonders jährlicher Neuzulassungen), der ausbleibende Ertragszuwachs und die Pflanzenschutzproblematik (Verfügbarkeit Beizmittel und Herbizide sowie Schädlingsvielfalt) angesehen werden.The cultivation of grain legumes is mainly concentrated in the eastern part of Germany. For loess sites in the middle and eastern parts of Germany as well as for weathering sites in the southeast and diluvial sites in eastern Germany the state crop experiments (Landessortenversuche, LSV) are realised on the basis of the German soil-climate spaces. In the first instance the results of LSV are utilized for the neutral and regional consulting of farmers and politicians as well as for information of the Federal Office for Plant Varieties. In the LSV of 2003 to 2008, the yields of the grain legumes greatly differed between years and locations, with mean yields showing stagnating or even regressive trends. In the years 2003 and 2006 heat and drought were limiting the production of grain legumes. In faba beans improvements in quality were achieved via the breeding of tannin-free cultivars. The tannin-containing cultivars Fuego and Espresso reached higher yields than the tannin-free cultivar Tattoo. With regard to crude protein content the differences between the cultivars were low. In peas, considerable breeding progress was observed with regard to stableness and straw-stability. Cv. Rocket attained high yields over several years; convincing biennial yield performances were also noticed for cvs. Gregor and Respect. The cvs. Santana, Saskia and Gregor were rich in protein. The advantage of narrow-leafed lupine mainly consisted in its high crude protein content and in high protein yields, too. Especially the cvs. Probor, Idefix and Borlu were rich in crude protein content. In all locations cv. Boregine brought above-average grain yields in several years. At present, critical issues with grain legumes are the low number of registered cultivars (especially newly registered cultivars per year), a lack of yield progress and the difficulties in plant protection (less available fungicide seed treatment products and herbicides as well as high spectrum of pests)

Identifizierung und quantitative Bestimmung des Plasmavolumenexpanders Dextran und des Diuretikums Mannitol in Humanurin mittels Flüssigkeitschromatographie / Massenspektrometrie und Gaschromatographie / Massenspektrometrie zu Dopingkontrollzwecken

Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Entwicklung empfindlicher Nachweismethoden zur Bestimmung des Plasmavolumenexpanders Dextran und des Diuretikums Mannitol in Humanurin zu Dopingkontrollzwecken. Die Anwendung beider Substanzen ist von der World Anti-Doping Agency verboten worden, da sie im Sport zur Manipulation missbraucht werden können. Für den eindeutigen Nachweis einer verbotenen intravenösen Dextranapplikation wurde eine LC-MS/MS Methode entwickelt, die eine Identifizierung und quantitative Bestimmung des Analyten in Humanurin ermöglicht. Dazu wurde das Polymer mit Hilfe einer Dextranase enzymatisch hydrolysiert und die entstehenden Isomaltoseuntereinheiten anschließend derivatisiert (acetyliert). Die Methode wurde verwendet, um physiologische Konzentrationen an polymer 1,6-verknüpfter Glukose in 238 Dopingkontrollproben zu bestimmen. Außerdem wurde der Dextrangehalt in 7 Urinproben von Patienten, denen Dextran im Rahmen einer klinischen Therapie intravenös verabreicht wurde, ermittelt. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass sich physiologisch in Urin auftretende Konzentrationen an polymer 1,6-verknüpften, dem Dextran analogen Glukosestrukturen, signifikant von Gehalten an polymer 1,6-verknüpfter Glukose unterscheiden, die nach intravenöser Applikation von Dextran auftreten. Auf Grundlage der durchgeführten Untersuchungen wurde der World Anti-Doping Agency ein Grenzwert von 500 Mikrogramm Dextran pro Milliliter Urin vorgeschlagen, der den eindeutigen Nachweis eines Dopingvergehens ermöglicht. Im Fall von Mannitol wurde eine empfindliche Methode entwickelt, mit der Mannitol nach Derivatisierung (Acetylierung) neben den anderen Hexitolen Allitol, Dulcitol, Altritol, Iditol und Sorbitol in Humanurin mittels GC/MS identifiziert und quantitativ bestimmt werden kann. Im Rahmen einer Ausscheidungsstudie wurde diese Methode verwendet, um die resultierende Mannitolkonzentration in Urin nach oraler Zufuhr des Zuckeralkohols zu bestimmen. Dabei wurden im Mittel 39 % des verabreichten Mannitols im Urin wiedergefunden. Eine Differenzierung zwischen einer erlaubten oralen und einer verbotenen intravenösen Zufuhr von Mannitol als Voraussetzung für den Nachweis eines Dopingvergehens ist daher aufgrund der festgestellten, hohen urinären Konzentrationen nach oraler Aufnahme schwierig. Die entwickelten Methoden zeichnen sich durch ein hohes Maß an Empfindlichkeit und Reproduzierbarkeit aus und können daher sicherlich auch für eine Anwendung in anderen Bereichen der klinischen, pharmazeutischen oder lebensmittelchemischen Analytik eingesetzt werden

A modified standard embedding with jumps in nonlinear optimization

The paper deals with a combination of pathfollowing methods (embedding approach) and feasible descent direction methods (so-called jumps) for solving a non-linear optimization problem with equality and inequality constraints. Since the method that we propose here uses jumps from one connected component to another one, more than one connected component of the solution set of the corresponding one-parametric problem can be followed numerically. It is assumed that the problem under consideration belongs to a generic subset which was introduced by Jongen, Jonker and Twilt. There already exist methods of this type for which each starting point of a jump has to be an endpoint of a branch of local minimizers. In this paper the authors propose a new method by allowing a larger set of starting points for the jumps which can be constructed at bifurcation and turning points of the solution set. The topological properties of those cases where the method is not successful are analyzed and the role of constraint qualifications in this context is discussed. Furthermore,this new method is applied to a so-called modified standard embedding which is a particular construction without equality constraints. Finally, an algorithmic version of this new method as well as computational results are presented

Identification of a non-purple tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase: an evolutionary link to Ser/Thr protein phosphatases?

BACKGROUND Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatases (TRAcPs), also known as purple acid phosphatases (PAPs), are a family of binuclear metallohydrolases that have been identified in plants, animals and fungi. The human enzyme is a major histochemical marker for the diagnosis of bone-related diseases. TRAcPs can occur as a small form possessing only the ~35 kDa catalytic domain, or a larger ~55 kDa form possessing both a catalytic domain and an additional N-terminal domain of unknown function. Due to its role in bone resorption the 35 kDa TRAcP has become a promising target for the development of anti-osteoporotic chemotherapeutics. FINDINGS A new human gene product encoding a metallohydrolase distantly related to the ~55 kDa plant TRAcP was identified and characterised. The gene product is found in a number of animal species, and is present in all tissues sampled by the RIKEN mouse transcriptome project. Construction of a homology model illustrated that six of the seven metal-coordinating ligands in the active site are identical to that observed in the TRAcP family. However, the tyrosine ligand associated with the charge transfer transition and purple color of TRAcPs is replaced by a histidine. CONCLUSION The gene product identified here may represent an evolutionary link between TRAcPs and Ser/Thr protein phosphatases. Its biological function is currently unknown but is unlikely to be associated with bone metabolism.This work was funded by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene through a Dennis Burkitt Fellowship to JJM. ARD is supported by the Economic and Social Research Council. JJM is supported by a Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellowship (GR074833MA)